Canon 1D Mark II N versus Canon 6D

The Canon EOS-1D Mark II N and the Canon EOS 6D are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively,
in August 2005 and September 2012. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are based on an APS-H (1D Mark II N) and a full frame sensor. The 1D Mark II N has a resolution of 8.2 megapixel, whereas the 6D provides 20 MP.

Body comparison

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Canon 1D Mark II N and the Canon 6D. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are presented. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter. If you prefer, you can also use the toggle button to switch to a comparison in percentage terms (in this case, the camera on the left – the 1D Mark II N – represents the basis or 100 percent across all the size and weight measures).

Body view (1D Mark II N on the left)

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size,
the Canon 6D is considerably smaller (35 percent) than the Canon 1D Mark II N. Moreover, the 6D is substantially lighter (51 percent) than the 1D Mark II N. In this context, it is worth noting that both cameras are splash and dust-proof and can, hence, be used in inclement weather conditions or harsh environments.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses
that both of these cameras require. A larger imaging sensor (as in the 6D) will tend to go along with bigger and heavier lenses,
while more compact options are available for the smaller-sensor camera (1D Mark II N).
You can find a comprehensive overview of suitable optics in the Canon EF Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the 1D Mark II N gets 1200 shots out of its NP-E3 battery,
while the 6D can take 1090 images on a single charge of its LP-E6 power pack.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside
a broader set of comparators. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another
camera pair, just select a new right or left comparator from among the camera models in the table.
Alternatively, you can also move across to the CAM-parator tool and
choose from the broad selection of possible comparisons there.

The listed prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The 6D was launched at a markedly lower price (by 48 percent) than the 1D Mark II N, which puts it into a different market segment.
Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available.
Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting
and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be
found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon 1D Mark II N features an APS-H sensor and the Canon 6D
a full frame sensor. The sensor area in the 6D is 58 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.3 and 1.0. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Sensor size

With 20MP, the 6D offers a higher
resolution than the 1D Mark II N (8.2MP), but the 6D has smaller individual pixels (pixel pitch of
6.57μm versus 8.17μm for the 1D Mark II N). Yet, the 6D is a much more recent model (by 7 years) than the 1D Mark II N, and its sensor
will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units.

Sensor resolution

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). Of the two cameras under consideration, the 6D offers substantially better image quality than the 1D Mark II N (overall score 16 points higher). The advantage is based on 1.5 bits higher color depth, 0.9 EV in additional dynamic range, and 1.3 stops in additional low light sensitivity. The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. The 6D indeed provides for movie recording, while the 1D Mark II N does not. The highest resolution format that the 6D can use is 1080/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The 1D Mark II N and the 6D are similar in the sense that both have an optical viewfinder.
The latter is useful for getting a clear image for framing even in brightly lit environments. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Canon 1D Mark II N and Canon 6D in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras. If you need more detail on the specs, you can find comprehensive listings, for example, in the dpreview camera hub.

Both the 1D Mark II N and the 6D have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used
on ebay. The 1D Mark II N was replaced by the Canon 1D Mark III, while the 6D was followed by the Canon 6D Mark II.

Summary

So how do things add up? Is there a clear favorite between the Canon 1D Mark II N and the Canon 1D Mark II N? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

More compact: Is smaller (145x111mm vs 156x158mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.

Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 795g or 51 percent) and is thus easier to take along.

More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (48 percent cheaper at launch).

More modern: Reflects 7 years of technical progress since the 1D Mark II N launch.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the 6D is the clear winner of the contest (12 : 4 points). However, the relative importance of the various individual camera aspects will vary according to personal preferences and needs, so that you might like to apply corresponding weights to the particular features.

1D Mark II N 04:12 6D

In any case, while the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the 1D Mark II N or the 6D handle or perform in practice. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable. This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The adjacent table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular camera review sites. You can find the full text of the reviews, respectively, at cameralabs.com, dpreview.com, ephotozine.com, imaging-resource.com, and photographyblog.com.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

Other comparisons

In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting. If you do not see the camera that you are looking for, please contact me, and I will try to locate and add the respective data to the application.